E=mc Hammer

September 27, 2010

“Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It can only be changed from one form to another.” --Albert Einstein

I’ve got energy on my brain these days. Not necessarily in my blood stream, but definitely on my brain. Following my Paris Hilton weekend of nonstop fabulosity , and knee deep in a school week that includes three nights of parent-teacher conferences and one of freshman volleyball, I’m wondering where the energy pump is and how much they charge per gallon.

It’s 5 p.m. and here I sit, in the East High gym, just under our country’s flag and to the left of the water fountain, trying to look I’m an adult. Skirt is on. Student papers in a neat pile upon the table. Snappy school bag at my feet. And, despite all the things that I’ve etched onto my calendar this past week, I’m kind of buzzing, too. Go figure.

Parent-teacher conferences always do this to me. I may wake up feeling like I’ve slept in a Buick and licked an ashtray but, by the time 4 p.m. rolls around, I’m focused and perky and mostly glad to be here. I know it’s not popular to say when I’m seated among my peers, but I kind of like parent-teacher conferences. And, if I’m going to be really honest, I almost always tear up during at least one of my parent conferences.

Now I suppose I could point to my age or the pollen or even the perpetual tickle in my nose to explain away those tears, but, really, it’s pretty terrific to be able to tell someone that their child is pretty terrific. And all that terrific-ness can make me a little weepy.

God knows what I would do if my eggs ever drop on parent-teacher conference nights. I would probably be removed by two nice gentlemen with a gurney.

For now, though, I keep my cool and count my blessings that, for some unknown reason, parent-teacher conferences increase my energy level. They fill me up and leave me buzzing, even after the kind of weekend I’ve had.